This Old In-house: Bonds That Bind Shouldn’t Be Left Behind

I didn’t get the sports gene. I have absolutely no passion for watching baseball, soccer, basketball or even football. I couldn’t distinguish Peyton Manning from Arod. (Did I spell their names correctly?)

This is a terrible handicap for a guy because this potential for bonding with my clients, managers and male friends – not to mention men I’m stuck in lines with or standing next to a urinal with – remains unrealized. They mention the Mets and I just freeze and stare at them like a deer in the headlights.

This handicap only reinforces my belief that the experience of shared experiences and passions is a powerful bond and one that should be exploited by in-house groups to strengthen their sense of team and enhance their collaboration. Of course the unique exploits of practicing design in a corporate setting are probably enough to establish a camaraderie under fire but there are other ways to build trust and loyalty such as those noted in the above slide taken from my soon to be presented session on how to turbocharge an in-house team taking place this Saturday at the InHOWse Managers Conference in Chicago.

Below are some additional ideas.

Start a design book club

Take a field trip to a museum

Participate in a team-based design competition

Attend a conference as a group

Share favorite music playlists

Start a Ning site where everyone contributes his or her sources of creative inspiration and passion